DirecTV Group Inc. earned $162 million in its second quarter 2005, rebounding from a net loss of $13 million in the same period a year ago, DirecTV reported Aug. 4. Revenue improved 21 percent to $3.2 billion in the same timeframe, while operating profit has more than tripled to $523 million.

Net income also improved due to the increased operating profit and a $31 million tax credit related to the favorable settlement of a U.S. federal income tax dispute associated with a previously divested business. DirecTV added 225,000 net subscribers during the second quarter 2005, slightly down from a year ago, due to an average monthly churn rate of 1.69 percent.

“Our second quarter results are indicative of the substantial profit and cash-generating potential of DirecTV U.S.,” Chase Carey, president and CEO of DirecTV, said in a statement. The results “are a reflection of our profitable growth strategy to drive strong subscriber and ARPU [average revenue per user] growth, while also increasing margins through improved cost management, particularly in key areas such as subscriber acquisition and upgrade/retention marketing.”